Magic or Trick
by YinYangWhiteTiger
Summary: The story revolves into Minamoto Koji's life as he fiddle with his problematic crush onto one of his friends and senpai. Life for Koji is semi-charmed as he fidgets between the meaning of magic which for him are only tricks, life as a kouhei and a son aren't going greatly though, hopefully nevertheless he always have his friends to count on. Another one of my OTP KxJ.


**AN****: My OTP of 04 have to be TakuyaxIzuma, TakuyaxKouichi and KojixJP…**

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"_Hey, Koji…" The voice sounded from the background._

_They were at middle school, as the class 1-C, his classroom were making a decoration for the cultural festival. They were going to do a bar, he wasn't going to participate directly as he was part of the music club, but he still had to help with the decorations. Takuya had come to visit with their friend and senpai, Shibayama Junpei. They decided to help since their own classes has already finished their preparations._

_Takuya's class was just doing a sweet & dolls bar, since many students in his class were talented in their cooking. Takuya, himself, was pretty useless._

_Junpei-senpai, however, had his own show of showing magic. What his classroom was doing, Koji didn't have a clue. Though the voice of the background was his senpai, smiling, while Takuya was arguing with Melly-san on how to build the wooden counter. Koji didn't know if he should of started to point out, that the two of them, were both equally wrong. For starters… they were using the wrong equipment… only morons would use normal screwdrivers when one had to drill holes in it first? Secondly, nobody, nobody in their right mind would make a counter without asking somebody who was an expert!_

_The only thing that mattered was… Takuya wasn't the major cause of the idiocy._

_Turning his head, he finally walked to the front of the blackboard, where behind the podium was Junpei playing a sleigh of hand, or what senpai like to call it: magic. Other students looked at him, while moving, showing his hands while explaining there was nothing hidden, or inside his sleeves. Magic made by humans were unrealistic, all they were was bejeweled tricks, only occult lovers or elementary children took them seriously._

"_Now for my next trick, a banquet of flowers." With his sleeves to his elbow, from a single snap, a little daisy head came out of his palm. From his right hand came a rose's head, soon countless type of flowers poured out of nowhere._

_It was impressive, as the girls started to compliment their senpai, who held a proud smile._

"_Ehehehe-… Junpei you're going to be a one-hit wonder!" Takuya said in the mix of his sniggering. Only useless people supported useful people, so just not to show their hopeless situation. Koji could only roll his eyes._

"_Well… I can't wait for the festival starts, so when do you start Shibayama-senpai?" The timid girl asked._

"_Yeah! If I remember it's the intro, the interval and you play a major part at the end of the Drama Club, right?" Hikijisan-san spoke with curiosity, being the school council was one thing, especially since he was the only first year to be given such a title. Koji could only sigh at his bad luck, to be in the same classroom as a Council Vice-president whom was also the main classroom president._

"_Yep, then Koji-kun should be in after me." Junpei-senpai spoke animatedly. The man sure did love a crowd. Koji could only watch silently. He wasn't really a talker to begin with, only with his friends, his band and only when spoken too did he really talk. Takuya just made life lively… without him he be pretty bored out of his mind. The others were pretty much loners, he couldn't believe what type of person Zoe was before the Digital World._

_The only 'normal' one was Takuya. He was agape by on how much he was the only person with real friends. Though in retrospect, the boy ended up labeling him 'Anti-scoial'. Never letting go of the fact, Takuya was right on his first guess. Though it wouldn't piss him off as so, if it wasn't the fact: he had friends before and after the DW. Sure, he didn't have a lot of friends, though now he had a decent group of friends, not including the Legendary Warriors' group. 'Takuya…' holding his hand into a fist, with his temper rising only thinking 'I'm going to kill you one day…'_

_He wasn't an antisocial, he was just less social then others._

"_For good luck." Junpei's voice brought him back to reality._

_In his hand was a white lotus flower…_

**Chapter 1****: The White Colored Violet **_ The High Possibility of Finite_

He was walking down the school's hall, school had ended and the afterschool activities had begun. Girl were whispering their praises of him and his best friend, they were equally famous, for she was most popular female student in the school as he was known for his band. They looked similar, though she was somewhat smaller by four to five inches, her blue hair was his color. Her eyes were brown, she wore their high school sailor suit: which was white with red middle length skirt that matched the collar that had two white lines. He wore a typical white shirt with a blue tie around his collar, as his suit was mostly base around red, while his school's badge was colored white.

"Hanasuki-san and Koji-san, they're really cool!" One of the many voices spoke, the half of the first trimester had finished and summer vacation was going to start.

Seemingly for first years, they were one of the few to be taken seriously by the senpai, not to mention his senpai in the Music club was letting him play in their band. His other bandmates from his childhood had separated into different schools, so he didn't see them often. They still were a band, an official band, but… they kept seeing less and less of one another. It was somewhat depressing. So he was pretty happy not having any Music Club today or for the whole month. Takuya, however, was going to soccer camp after school ended, so he wouldn't be seeing that's boy's face for another long while.

Well… things hadn't gone well for Takuya either, as the boy was force to sit in the bench for the whole trimester. Seemingly soccer in High School was a whole different league of players.

Koji bite his lip at the thought. He wasn't having a great time with his afterschool band… yes, he was learning a lot, though there wasn't any connection he made, since all the club was filled with upper schoolmates. He had to watch his tongue, he couldn't talk to them like he could Shibayama, he couldn't forgive them for those words they said either.

"… So what are you going to do this summer?" Hanasuki asked. She didn't ask about afterschool, she knew him well enough to know he just hated his club. He didn't hate the club as much as he hated the people in it.

"Well… Takuya's busy, Zoe in Italy, Tomoki is in vacation, Junpei-senpai is in vacation and Kouichi doesn't have enough money to go on vacation." The was the summary of how his whole summer vacation was going to be like.

"Then go on vacation. I wouldn't mind joining you." She spoke plainly.

He sighed "If I go on vacation, I'm inviting Kouichi…"

Her eyes became cold, turning to him with an expression of disapproval "That weirdo? Come on! Let's go on vacation like we did before that boy existed."

She hated his brother, his brother was head over heels for her, Koji only sighed. Honestly, Kouichi knew his chances of her looking at him like a boyfriend were close to zero, then again a fanboy is a fanboy. He got angry at first, mostly because she was just mean to him, but she had a point: Kouichi's admiration for her was close to obsession. Seemingly he would do anything for her, and he meant everything as the keyword. It almost seemed like stalking…

He didn't think Kouichi, as himself, was weird. Only that.. Kouichi acted weird to his admirations.

Kouichi didn't do afterschool clubs, mostly because he hanged out with his friends and had duties at home, while their mother was at work. Not mention all the homework and studies that had to be done. Koji would of done some study group with Kouichi, though, Koji worked best when he wasn't around people. That's why he entrusted tutoring to Kouichi for Takuya, because he knew himself to get caught up in doing anything else but schoolwork. He would talk for hours… Play around and just forget the original objective.

He was a decent student, his grades were typically around 70 or 80%, Takuya was the moron of the group, while Kouichi and Hanasuki were top students.

Kouichi had a reason to get such high votes, Hanasuki and him, however… they had nothing of a clue of what they wanted in the future. Takuya was just plain lazy, he wasn't a complete moron, worst case scenario would be he was a madao. There is no salvation for a madao, he had a madao friend, there really nothing that could be done for a madao. Zoe, Tomoki and Junpei were like him… though Zoe was a little more on top of her grades. Letting out another sigh, now that they were at the shoe locker, as he opened his locker: he saw a letter in it.

His lips thinned out, it was a bitterness of the lack of courage the person had, for letters were just for timid girls who weren't convinced of their love. Even if he would probably rejected them, he rather he be told at the face then a indirect method.

"Ehehe… Another love letter? I got two." The girl giggled condescendingly as her locker was on the other side, he couldn't see her face but he knew her well enough to tell she hated the same methods.

One of the reason they got along.

"I hope this girl doesn't want me to meet her today." He wanted to enjoy the last day of school!

Another condescending giggle voiced "Really? Even though you have nothing better to do? Geez, you're so whimsical."

"-Tch-."

She had already put her shoes on, while he read the letter, she came back to his side. Groaning at the request at hand, he could only wonder if he should bother, the girl didn't even have enough courage to tell him her feelings. So why should he even bother to meet her? It was mostly his pride, not a single thing more or less.

"Fuck. What about you?"

Hanasuki titled her head with a blank expression, shrugged before realizing what he meant, her smile turned evil "Haha… you're a _noble man_, ehehe… tell the girl she can't have you. Me? I'll just go my way back home, unless you don't mind me staying with you. We can pretend to be a couple and humiliate her."

There was a pause, like she wanted to hear what he thought about that; she knew damn well he would never go that far.

"You're the devils child, you know? I'm going to see her at the gate, I'll see you at the usual point." He said as he began to put his shoes on. Smiling before waving, she went on ahead as he rather not be near her, when he had to do such things. Hanasuki was one of his best friends before the DW, a childhood friend and somewhat of a neighbor, as she only live a couple blocks away. Finally finishing the last knot in his shoes, he got up only to walked where a girl, he never noticed before, stood.

She was pretty, sure, though he hadn't a single clue why she wanted to be with him.

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"The same thing that always happens." He spoke bitterly as they were at a small bar. He drunk his smoothie mix with a bit of ice cream and whip cream with a cherry on top. The event went mostly two ways, but the most common one was: He rejects the girl, the girl ask if it's because he has his eyes on somebody else (or in other words) and/or Hanasuki, which he explains the relationship is completely platonic, she cries, says she sorry and leaves him to be.

In return, another bumbling of voices are filled of the countless girls, he had rejected. That's only when he returned to school.

He never asked for such an annoying consequence.

Takuya complains, as much as Junpei-kun, that he should be happy to get chocolate and being popular with the ladies. Takuya has few fans, though this year he was certain he wouldn't get any chocolate for one he wasn't playing soccer, only practicing, secondly this year he was in school with his girlfriend, who was Zoe. At least if he had a girlfriend and not his eyes on a certain somebody, he would get less letters and chocolate to begin with.

But he didn't like anybody and he never been in a relationship before. Hell… Takuya dated somebody before Zoe, so he had more experience than anybody. Hell… even Tomoki-kun had a girlfriend now!

Junpei's pain voice came to mind, which only depressed him further. Sipping out of his glass smoothie, he tried his best to forget his feelings that weren't waving at all.

Junpei would never like him, just because he was what he was: a guy.

He wasn't gay, maybe he was also gay, though not completely gay. The only thing was, he never fallen for somebody other than one of his closest friends. The master of illusions and tricks, the guy who can make any bad decision a beautiful decision. Stirring his drink, the smoothie and the cream becoming one as their colors changed… he couldn't help but feel self pity. Hanasuki said nothing, their relationship in whole, which made it different from any friendship he had with the others: was because they didn't need to talk to understand one another.

She was a she-devil, but even she had wonderful sides of herself.

Though… really… he pity people like Kouichi who would do anything for her. Though Kouichi wasn't completely blinded like Takuya and the other students: thinking she was just a cool and nice girl. She stab people in the back so quickly, you wouldn't even have the time to know you've been betrayed and deprived of everything.

If he had ever met her before the DW, he surely would have a hard time believing they could be friends. Though they had a lot of common ground despite their methods of living. For one thing: it was their family.

They had bad relationships, before Satomi became his mother and around the time her parents got their promotions, they ended up being one another's support. They didn't talk about it, the mostly did other things to forget about their problems, though when they did talk it was either very short or very long. Koji only found her cruelty to be something depthless, though she was absolutely loyal to people like himself, or those she considered worthy. She wasn't arrogant but she did look down on people continuously… though that may not make sense.

"… What the hell am I going to do this summer?"

Hanasuki merely shrugged, before she laughed at the sms she was reading, only to reply back. He laid on his left hand, before taking another sip of smoothie, only to wait if he could think of something to do.

"Well… you always have your band, no?"

"If I go next to an instrument one more time… I'm going to cut myself." He could only say in finality.

"Yesterday still on your mind, eh? Oh well… let's go on a vacation, just me and you." She spoke, while still continuing to text her friends, as her voice held temptation.

He gave her a skeptical look "I'm not going to abandon Kouichi, also… Mom wants me to help Onii-chan."

"-tch-… Kouichi shouldn't be Onii-chan, you have the perfect look for an Onii-chan." She spoke with anger.

He looked at her with even more skepticism, as he couldn't understand why people kept saying that to him, his brother's name had the character 'first' in it. 'Kou' - 'Ichi'. Why were people always so surprise that Kouichi was the older one? What did it even mean to be an older brother than the word stated? Sure they were twins… that didn't deny Kouichi was born two minutes before him. Did you have to have a certain personality to be the older brother? Cool, smart, athletic, calm and etc etc. had nothing to do what was what. Being brothers wasn't a fashion statement!

"Ehh…" He could only sigh in the end.

On her left palm, she laid her head with a questioning but obvious look "Well… it's true."

"What does that even mean?..."

"No comment." Hey… being brothers isn't a fashion statement!

Turning her head to the left, she ignored his meanings.

He could only sigh again.

The rest of the afternoon was her texting her girlfriends, whom she was close but equally distant, though it wasn't like he knew what she did with the other girls. She was quite popular, when she was put on the altar, she acts with the altar, though the poor fools admired and envied her equally, he didn't really get the girl status quo, but from what Zoe had explain to him: their system were just as scary as their grudges, which could last a thousand years.

He wonder if any of her girlfriends knew the depth of her cruelty…

Though it was like a thought that came and pass with time. If they did she never right out told him. She minded her business and he minded his own. Even best friends needed distances, like mostly for their gender, but also… you go insane if they knew every little detail of your life.

Takuya, know everything about his life and everything about himself? Or vice-versa… they be no different than a marriage couple. He wasn't ready to commit himself to something so long lasting… Friends don't share every little detail, if they did: good for them. Everything had limits in the end. Though, he would have been happier if Takuya, Zoe and Kouichi hadn't found out his crush on Junpei-kun. Just the thought of that day made his head color red all over… he felt like screaming or hitting Takuya, just for the sake of these feelings to disappear.

"Too bad you missed him. Ehehe… how about going to the shooting range?" Why did she know this much? Also… don't they need a guardian to go shoot stuff?

"There's an Alley."

'No.' He gave her his serious, finalized look.

"The Alley…" He started to glare at her.

Waving her hand as a surrender, nonchalantly, as they continue to walk down the Shibuya Station center "Fine, fine be that way. Mister Noble. So what ya want to do?"

"I don't know… what is there to do? There nothing in this city, I don't feel like practicing and honest to god… I don't want to see a musical instrument for the rest of my life." He groaned in complete misery.

Home was quite saddening these days: for the three month old fetus, had died in his stepmother's womb only a week ago, and he first of all, was glad he hadn't told his friends about this pregnancy. Satomi hadn't been the same, she would just stay in the darkness, of supposedly baby's room, looking at the small dolls she had gathered only to never use again. She wouldn't cook, she wouldn't eat and he doesn't remember the last time she look like she taken a bath. His father tried to be supportive, saying 'they could always try again', though after five days he started coming home as late as possible.

Only Kouichi knew of this, Hanasuki had knew even before Kouichi, though he didn't have the courage to tell either of them what had happen to the pregnancy.

He didn't know if she knew, though if she was in his house even for a second, she could easily tell something was amiss. She use to come to his house often, not as much as before, but equally welcomed. She must of notice something in his attitude but didn't comment on it, respecting him. Biting his lip again, he moved his eyes away from her.

"Come on… We can go to the dojo."

"You fucking hate the place."

"So wanna got to the Alley?"

"…" He looked at her, before shaking off his expression, letting out the thousandths sigh of today. "Well… we could always go to the soccer field, I bet Takuya-kun is pretty lonely. Sitting on the bench endlessly in this incredible heat."

Now that had made her scoffed as she said offhandedly "You just hop'ng that he's suffering more than you are. Noble man… you're becoming the devil himself, all the girls will cry."

"Or just Takuya."

"Or just Takuya." She repeated only to end in an evil smile.

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Far off at the soccer field near the park, there he was sitting under the heat of the sun, while all the other, active, players began the major practice. In his soccer wear, with his head looking up at the heavens, it was obvious he was bored and tired.

"So how are you?" Koji asked with a smirk.

Takuya, moved his head to the left and glared, fiercely as well, saying in despite "I hate you. So you're going to miss me?"

The boy simply smiled, Takuya couldn't stay mad long, unless it was something to do with his pride, or in the less, something serious.

Hanasuki was smiling like an angel, she look like one too, Koji never commented how odd it was. So she said, like she cared, which she mildly did "It must be horrible to only be a bench boy. At least you're not alone." She finished as she looked at the other boys who were dying of strong boredom and heat.

The boys were oddly silent, or at least, the first years were as they stared at Hanasuki like she was imaginary. They began to whisper only a bit, before turning silent, when his friend looked at the other boys, giving only fake sympathy.

"It wouldn't be so bad, if we weren't on the bench!" Takuya complained.

Koji couldn't help but point something that was obviously obvious "Isn't that what she said?"

"Oh you shut up! You're lucky to have the music club, where there is actually air conditioning!" Another complaint stated.

"In return I'm with that guy. Son of a bitch."

Noticing his growl, Takuya frowned "What does that guy say to rail you up? You may be antisocial-." "Takuya—…" "That doesn't make you easily tempered, a bit of a perfectionist but mellow."

She giggled, while he could now only growl at him, Takuya didn't seem even a little bit fazed.

It was something he didn't want to talk about "It's something I don't want to talk about, so drop it."

"Well I'm still here, practice is almost finish, so how about we walk home together?"

"Sure, whatever."

After practice finished, the sun went farther down and twilight appeared, in his casual clothing, Takuya, him and Hanasuki walked down back home. The noise of the city slowly started to disappear, while they went closer and closer to the calmer part of Jingoku. The place were mostly middle class or high class families lived in. The three of them talked about their plans of summer, how Hanasuki was hoping to go vacation with just him or with the Minamoto family, Takuya spoke mostly and only his plans on how to get recognized by the couch or at best the team, he, unlike everybody else… had no plans, only stating he wouldn't go on vacation without Kouichi.

"You know… it was kind of hard telling how I felt to Zoe, but ever since I did I've never been happier." Takuya randomly started.

"That's because it's natural for a boy and girl to get together." He retorted. Like anybody could understand what he felt.

"No… it has nothing do about gender, it had to do with the fact I might ruin our friendly relationship. That maybe, just maybe it would all become awkward. To the point where we couldn't all be together." The tone of his voice held a strong firmness, Koji merely grunted as he still couldn't listen to Takuya seriously.

Only to scoff "Though there was certainty that she liked boys and you liked girls; it's just not the same situation. It's probably, and highly, possible that he liked girls, like he always had."

Takuya gave him a typical 'What-the-hell-do-you-mean?' look, scoffing at him "Lying to him like this not going to make everything better. Also… when a girl hugged you, you blush because she's a girl: I wouldn't be surprised if Junpei had no idea that you also like guys. Not to say that Junpei may be gay… but looking at you doesn't suddenly make you straight or gay. You are just you…. Maybe he even likes you but thinks it's impossible."

"That's just impossible." He stated to Takuya.

The response was a smirk "See? You should never say never. Nothing is ever certain in this world. Anything is possible, if you give it a try. Just like back then."

"Oh just shut up!" Takuya just didn't understand.

Though in his best friend's eyes was a look of an 'oh well .' and a hint of nostalgia. Hanasuki soon parted to go to her own house. He was going to arrive at his own house, while the Kanabara's lived only a few block further down the lane. He really didn't want to go back home, _her hidden expression, her sigh as she held onto a teddy bear that still looked new, and the slightly moving cradle. Her sobbing 'meso-meso'… slowly but surely getting louder,_ he had already stopped before he realized he was at home. Takuya had stopped too, looking at him blankly but worried, he must of forgotten to say goodbye.

"Are you okay?"

Forcing a slight smile, he said with an almost chocked throat "Yeah… Have a nice summer!"

Opening the front gate, he entered his house, which none of the lights were turned on. He was greeted by Haru-chan, his white Labrador which was whinny as his tail waged. Going near the kitchen counter he saw that there was no water or dog food for him. Without a moment of haste, he went to pout out some dry dog food, and put new water in the bowl. Seeing his dog eat happily was a joy to him, though he gave no mind to his whispering fears, as upstairs waited Satomi-okasa. She wouldn't talk to him, but passing his half-brother's room scared him.

So he went upstairs, the door to that room was closed, though instinctually he gulped.

He went to his room and closed the door. Laying on his bed as he looked up to the ceiling, he couldn't help but wonder if life in the family would get any better. His room was the same as it always been, some new things here and there, but all the same. Seven years ago had changed his life for the better, he would never forget the day he met Takuya and the others, the miracle in saving his brother and last but not least… the Minamoto family was really a family.

He hope… with time, his mother's heart would heal. He wanted to see Satomi-kasa smile again and to be his mother figure. She had been a mother to him.

He hope their family wouldn't continue forever in this spiral of sorrow.

He hoped one day he could honestly tell Junpei-senpai how he felt.

Also that, miraculously, everything the way he hoped. Though he wasn't naïve enough to think that would actually happen.

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